Insecticidal and Antimicrobial Activities of Helianthemum germanicopolitanum Bornm.: Comparison of Natural and Tissue Culture-Derived Plant Material

Abstract In this study, the insecticidal and antimicrobial activities of the endemic and endangered (EN) plant Helianthemum germanicopolitanum Bornm. were investigated in the province of Çankırı. Plant material was collected from its natural habitats and also cultivated using in vitro tissue culture methods. Methanol, ethyl acetate, hexane, and water extracts were prepared from both sources. Insecticidal activity tests were performed on Sitophilus granarius for 24–72 h, while antimicrobial tests were performed on Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis, and MRSA. For insecticidal activity, mortality data were analyzed using ANOVA followed by Tukey’s multiple comparison test, and differences between natural habitat and tissue culture samples were evaluated using paired t-test (P < 0.05). The ethyl acetate extract showed the highest insecticidal activity at 24 h (67.96% in natural samples, 66.73% in tissue culture). In antimicrobial tests, the methanol extract was found to be the most effective, and all extracts exhibited selective activity against MRSA (MIC: 3.12 mg/mL). The tissue culture material showed similar efficacy to natural samples in terms of both activities. This result demonstrates that tissue culture is an effective alternative for the sustainable use of the endemic species.